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Severe Weather

Lebanon officials look ahead following devastating flood

Published On: Jul 24 2013 11:43:12 PM EDT

City leaders want to hear how they did following flash flooding earlier this month.Neighbors, community organizations and officials met Wednesday night to talk about the city’s response following 3 inches of rain July 2.

LEBANON, N.H. -

City leaders want to hear how they did following flash flooding earlier this month.

Neighbors, community organizations and officials met Wednesday night to talk about the city’s response following 3 inches of rain July 2.

Flash floods left about 60 roads and countless homes damaged. Since then, Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., has asked for federal aid. City leaders are waiting on an answer as neighbors ask when their lives will return to normal.

City leaders have estimated damage from the storm at about $6.5 million.

The focus of the repairs is Slayton Hill Road, which became a raging river July 2.

“As of today they still haven't found 100 feet of pipe,” said Fire Chief Chris Christopoulous. Christopoulous is also the city’s emergency response coordinator.

Slayton Hill is now a construction site, with most work set to be finished by December, Christopoulous said. Paving should come by spring 2014.

However, issues remain, such as driveway access and responding to emergency calls on the one-lane, dirt roads, Christopoulous said.

He and other leaders determined a fire vehicle stationed at the Lebanon airport can fit down the road, some neighbors now call it an obstacle course, if need be.

Christopoulous said other road projects across the city are making progress.

John Simone, who lives on Slayton Hill, said he wants the city to make sure July 2 is not repeated.

“I know that before they do anything, they need to fix that culvert is up there,” he said. “That caused this whole problem.”

Simone said a culvert became blocked July 1, causing flooding after a storm that day, too.

“I want them to take care of my driveway, and clean up the mess in my back yard,” he said.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the topic of cleanup and the immediate response was the topic of conversation.

“Certainly people want things fixed as rapidly as we can,” Christopoulous said. “We're trying to do things right and make sure that we rebuild to capacity.”

Fourteen inches of rain fell in June and so far in July, Christopoulous said, making for damp ground that could not handle more water. Christopoulous warned climate change has made these hundred-year events more common, and he said the city is updating its infrastructure after seeing what can happen.

City leaders are waiting to hear if any federal money will come their way after Hassan’s request, however, they said they do not think any help will come for homeowners and businesses.

However, they said numerous organizations based out of the Upper Valley are providing resources to flood victims.

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